Larding and seasoning needle



June 14, 1949. BETTENCQURT 2,473,191

LARDING AND smsoume NEEDLE Filed March 31, 1947 a Sheets-Sheet 1 Glfrecl 5. betierzcoyrt sriventov bgwatto t'nex n 1949- A.-s'; BETTENCOURT 2,473,191

LARDI'NG AND SEASONING NEEDLE Filed March -31, 1947 s sheets-sheet 2 Fxr FIG-9 FIGFJ-O GIL/red 6. beiteacozirt Sax enter g Clbborrzeg un 9-. ,A, BETTENCO URT 2,473,191

LAE EG .mp s AsoNING NEEDLE Filed March 31.1%? s Sheets-Sheet s GZfred 5. bettencourz. {Saver/2L0:-

bgwabbornez Patented June 14., 1949 U N] TED S TATES F F ICE LARDING SEASUNI'NG- NEEDEE AIfred-SIBettencourt, EasttOrangaNt'l.

Application March-$1, IQMFSerieil 18701 7383119 -5-.Glaims. l

Illliis :invention meals-With ilard'ln'g and seasoningjureeiiles, r and rmore --'specifically,' :to :speari'ng tools :for depositing within :roasts .an'diisimilar fiends -various ingredients for improvinglpalatability.

warding needles. haveibeeniemployediin':the-past ioriinsertingsintonneatsroastsrand similar objects, various rats, condiments, :slices of :bacon,-ssuet, and the .zli'kze; f-to give :a :j u-icier meat wand to enhannerits-diavor. Most ofisuch devicesrarernade up of several esections, ronerof whichis movable and-lie employed t'o cover the stubewcarrymgithe larding ingredients prior to spear-ing :into the meat. asueh deilioes have been ifoundlt'o the :time consuming antiinefii'cient. Furthermore the joints of -the vari'ous parts tend toxcolle'ct ;dirt andzgrease and thusiresult in an aunsanitary and unsightly lsitchen :ute'nsil.

One object of this invention'iis'"to' provide a simple tool which .ire'qui'res no moving parts and which :more efiioientand less -wasteful than the' eonveritional :larding -tools. Another =lobject is to provide sharpening means :to-rmaint-aina sharp point, an essential characteristic or allarding tool. fitlier-"objects will become apparent fromzth'e"aocompanyingidrawings an didescription which is to follow.

In the iirawings Figureirrepresents a top view and Figure 2 a side view of one embodiment of this invention. FigureB-is-across sectional view of Figure .2 looking to the .left from -3--3, while Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view -aoross*44 -of Figure 2, lookingto the right.

The top "View of another embodiment is illustrated in Figure 5, while Figure 6 represents'a made according to this invention is shown by a s top view in Figure 14, side view in Figure 15 and bottom view in Figure 16. Similar numbers refer to similar parts in the various figures.

Referring again to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1-4, numeral 9 represents the bottom of a semi-circular metal tube having rim edges I and hollow cavity 2. The free end of the tube is tapered at 1 to a point 8. The bottom portion is raised gradually near end 20, so that it meets the rim edges at point 8. It will also be observed rthatthetoprportion "I: of :the :needlenear thetipis maisedgradually so that the tip arealis' above :rim edge of the rest of th tubular needle. The other end 5 of.the needleris-provided withihandle 3 made of;pl'astic, wood: or othersuitable material. Projections 6 are'prov-ided'on the tubular surface of the needle to insure anchoringof the handlethere'on.

In the operation' of the needle, theifat'mi-Xed with the condiments and other materials, is packed-into.thetubularsectionso that theztop-fat surface I in: 1ine-:withedges. I of the tube. The needle. is-thenzpositionedsat the roast'and inserted therein with a quick straight jab. It :has-been found that when-ea ira-ised sharp tip, such as that shown-inthedrawing is employed, the cut-spread meatadoes .notihave an opportunityato:recover-its original position before the needle has reached the tend of fits" stroke. Thereafter, recovery takes place, :and the r'meat; in a manner -simi1ar to a piercedzpieceaof rubber, retracts andattempts to return to its original position. Advantage is taken Lof this property: during withdrawal of theneedle; whereupon =.the retracted meat wipes the inner surta'cie .oflthe tool, thusvzretaining the fat and other ingredients. The raisedzpoin't of the needleilnot onlyservesrto-penetrate the meat,-but also'acts asia'shield for theif-at in thern'eedle during thezspearingstroke.

'Since successful operationwof the needle shown iniF-igures1=4z is dependent upon a swift accurate thrust, its use is limited to chefs, butchers and otheriskilledtartisans, since it would be'consid'ered somewhat :dangerous .to the average housewife. In i order to provide the housewife with a :similar less dangerous larding needle, the-J types shown in Figures 5-l6zzhavezbeen :devloped;

Here, .the atubular tportion 9 is closed :in :more than that :in..Figure .1, and edges EI and il' tare above the diametrical center ofrthetube. Also,

theedgessareajoined (together near the endat I I and' I2; giving an obliquely disposed oval iop'ening IB' terminatingfin sharp .oval edge 8 Edg I4 of the oval opening is maintained flat with sharp edges. As in the case of Figure 2, the end of the needle is raised, oval opening I3 being fiat and above the plane of edges I and I, since joined sections I I and I2 are raised, beginning at section 2 of the needle. As in the case of Figure 2, bottom section 20 is raised until it reaches flat opening I4.

Although it is preferable to maintain the tube opening II' at the top as in Figure 5, it is possible to position it at the side, as shown in Figure 7. Also, although an oval shaped point,

such as that shown in Figure 5, is preferred, other shapes such as those shown in Figures 8-10 may be employed.

In the case of this particular needle, there is employed a stopping tool, such as that shown in Figures 11-12. When using the needle, hollow space I is filled with fat, seasoning, etc. and the needle is jabbed into the meat as far as desired. Then stopping tool 19 is inserted sideways in the exposed portion of channel [5 protruding from the meat. It is then turned until its plane is perpendicular to the axis of the needle, as shown in Figure 13. Thereafter, it is held close to the meat while the needle is drawn out of the meat.

It will be observed that bottom portion 23 of stopping tool I9 is shaped to fit channel l5 of the needle. Since rim edges l-| of the needle are above the diameter of the needle, it would not be possible to insert stopping tool 19 into recess l5 without turning the tool sideways. When the stopping tool is set in operating position as in Figure 13, edges l|' of the needle ride against constricted portion 22 of the tool, thus making it impossible to slip out of the needle when held in this position, and making it possible to force the fat, etc. through opening l3 of the needle, thereby leaving it in the meat.

Handle 3 is provided with recess 16 and cover I! pivoted by screw [8, covering the recess. This recess is used to house stopping tool 19 when it is not in use. The stopping tool may be provided with a hone 2| which may be used to sharpen surface 14 forming the cutting edge of the needle.

Another modified form of needle is shown in Figures 14-16. In this case, the tube opening 25 is on the side and tool is is inserted therein. As in the case of the previously described needles, cutting edge 32 is fiat and above the fiat portion of tubular section 24. However, the rear section of the upper surface is dropped lower at 3| than surface 32. This has been found advantageous since it preventscatching of meat particles by edge 29 as the needle is thrust into the meat. Also, the bottom end section of the needle is provided with opening 33, which is preferably disposed near the middle of the rising section at the end of the needle. It is preferable to have wider opening to facilitate unrestricted discharge of the fat, and narrower section 36 to minimize catching of meat segments during the spearing operation.

By the use of the needle illustrated in Figures 14-16, better discharge of the needle contents is possible, since surfaces 32 and 30 are closed ofif by the meat and a vacuum is formed under curved section 2! thus facilitating discharge of the needle contents through opening 33 into the meat. In this case less force is needed to hold tool 19 for proper discharge.

Although a circular needle cross-section is preferred, it is understood that any convenient crosssection may be suitable, as for example, triangular, square, oval, etc., in which case section 23 of the stopping tool would have to be shaped accordingly. In the case of handle 3" of Figure 14, the handle is hollow and provided with a screw thread for allowing insertion of tool l9 therein for storage. A separate sharpening tool may likewise be stored in the cavity.

It is desirable to have edges 33, 34, 35 and 36 tapered so as to not cause accumulation of meat particles.

The material employed for the needle is preferably stainless steel although other materials such as plastic, Monel metal, steel, and the like may be used.

I claim:

1. In a larding needle having a handle on one end and having a straight hollow tube body serving as a reservoir for the larding ingredients, and a tubular sharp tip portion extending from the free end of said body portion, the improvement comprising a long slot in said tube body wall, said slot being narrower than the diameter of the tube body and extending from near the handle to the free end of said tip portion, and said tip portion is gradually raised as the point is approached so that the sharp tip is disposed above the tube body, thereby making it possible to insert said needle in the material to be needled without disturbing the contents exposed in the slot and disposed within said hollow tube body.

2. A larding needle according to claim 1 in which the free end of the tip portion has a closed peripheral Wall.

3. A larding needle according to claim 2 in which the bottom part of the tip portion has an opening to alow discharge of the contents of the tube as the tube is withdrawn and as a stopping tool is inserted in the slot to facilitate discharge of the tube contents.

4. A larding needle according to claim 3 in which the tip portion terminates in an opening, the peripheral edge of which is substantially parallel with the tube body.

5. A larding needle according to claim 4 in which the rear portion of the peripheral edge of the opening is lower than the front portion.

ALFRED S. BET'IENCOURT.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 921,980 Hackmann et al. May 18, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,239 Germany Jan. 14, 1881 22,722 Germany June 21, 1883 64,006 Germany Sept. 1, 1892 198,091 Switzerland June 15, 1938 

